On Media

AP, NYDN fall for parody Twitter account

By HADAS GOLD

07/22/2014 01:35 PM EDT

The Associated Press and The New York Daily News fell for a parody Twitter account on Tuesday that took responsibility for replacing American flags on top of the Brooklyn Bridge with mysterious white flags.

The twitter account @BicycleLobby tweeted that they hoisted the flags to signal "the surrender of the Brooklyn Bridge bicycle path to pedestrians." Both the AP and the Daily News ran stories about how the bicycle advocate group had claimed responsibility, despite the fact that the account says clearly on its profile that it is a parody account.

"Stick a front fork in us, everybody. Our work here is done," the account tweeted, linking to the AP story.

Both the AP and Daily News eventually updated their stories noting that it was a parody account.